Kevin M. White was named Duke University’s vice president and director of athletics on May 31, 2008. He also serves as an adjunct professor of business administration at the university.

White, 63, joined the Duke family after leading Notre Dame’s athletics program to success both on the playing fields and in the classroom from 2000-08. He also has held a number of prominent national leadership roles within intercollegiate athletics, including his service in 2006-07 as president of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and in 2005-06 as president of the Division I-A Athletic Directors Association. In 2006, White was named the GeneralSports TURF Systems Division I-A Central Region Athletic Director of the Year while at Notre Dame. In 2013, White was named one of four NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision recipients of the Under Armour AD of the Year Award presented by NACDA. White earned multiple awards in 2014, including the National Football Foundation’s John L. Toner award and the Sport Business Journal’s Athletic Director of the Year award.

Guided by the Strategic Plan that was approved by Duke’s Board of Trustees in April of 2008, White made an immediate impact on Duke Athletics. In addition to leading the department to unprecedented success in competition, he reshaped the organization into a more efficient and modern department; strengthened ties to both campus and community constituents though consistent outreach efforts; successfully oversaw Duke’s fundraising efforts during an economic downturn; completed partnerships with major corporate entities to enhance revenue streams; commissioned a master facilities plan to position Duke well into the 21st Century; and emphasized a stronger commitment to the university’s intramural, club and recreational sports programs.

Since White’s arrival, Duke has captured six NCAA Championships – women’s tennis in 2009, men’s basketball in 2010, men’s lacrosse in 2010, 2013 and 2014, and women’s golf in 2014 – and 17 ACC titles. On the strength of 20 teams participating in NCAA Championship competition and robust finishes in several sports, Duke ranked ninth in the 2014 Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup standings, which determine an institution’s all-around strength in intercollegiate athletics. The ninth-place showing marked the 11th consecutive year that Duke has ended among the nation’s top 20 programs. In 2011, Duke placed fifth, matching the school’s best finish in the rankings and its 1171.50 points earned were the most in program history. In White’s six years at Duke, the Blue Devils placed 17th (2009), 10th (2010), fifth (2011), 16th (2012), 12th (2013) and ninth (2014) in the Directors’ Cup standings.

Academically, Duke teams continued strong performances under White. In the 2014 spring semester, 25 of 26 Blue Devil varsity teams earned grade point averages of 3.0 or better and more than 86 made the Dean’s List, while 495 Duke student-athletes made the All-ACC Honor Roll (led ACC for the 26th time in the last 27 years).

In two key elements in tracking a department’s academic success, Duke ranked among the nation’s best again. Duke posted a 98% Graduation Success Rate (GSR) and 17 teams achieved a 100% GSR. Also, an ACC-best 15 Blue Devil teams were ranked in the top 10% of their respective sports in the most recent Academic Performance Rate (APR) Report, including the men’s basketball and football teams. In the 2013 report, Duke (989) ranked third among all FBS schools, behind only Northwestern (996) and Boise State (993), and eighth among all Division I – FBS and FCS – programs. In all, Duke totaled the highest APR scores among ACC institutions in 13 of the league’s 25 sports ― men’s basketball (995), football (989), men’s golf (1000), men’s lacrosse (997), men’s soccer (995), men’s swimming and diving (1000), men’s indoor track and field (1000), men’s outdoor track and field (1000), women’s golf (1000), women’s lacrosse (1000), rowing (1000), volleyball (1000) and wrestling (1000).

Four Duke student-athletes were selected as CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, while 35 others received National Scholar-Athlete or Scholar All-America accolades. In White’s six-year tenure, former women’s tennis player Parker Goyer won a Rhodes Scholarship (2009), while track and field student-athletes Sally Liu (2009) and Allie Speidel (2011) earned Marshall Scholarships.

Under White, Duke has continued its focus on outreach to the local community. Modeling the NCAA CHAMPS/Life Skills program’s commitment to service, learning projects and outreach, over 500 Duke student-athletes across all sports participated in a combined effort of more than 2,000 community service hours during the 2013-2014 academic year.

White’s commitment to the overall mission of the university remains clear. In May 2011, Duke Athletics announced that a portion of ticket sales from Blue Devil regular season home sporting events will be directed to the Duke University Libraries. Per White’s vision, the Duke Athletics Library Fund has generated significant unrestricted revenue for the Duke University Libraries to support teaching and research across the institution.

In fall of 2012, Duke University announced the $3.25 billion Duke Forward fundraising campaign for priorities across Duke’s 10 schools, Duke Medicine and a range of university programs. Included in the campaign is a $250 million goal for Duke Athletics to be divided three ways – for facility enhancements and support ($100 million), endowment income ($50 million) and operating funds ($100 million). In 2013-14, several facility projects were initiated or set for execution, including numerous renovations to Wallace Wade Stadium, modifications to the front of Cameron Indoor Stadium, and the new Scott Pavilion, which will house several of Duke Athletics’ administrative units, as well as new strength and conditioning and sports medicine areas.

White, who holds a Ph.D. in education, has taught graduate-level classes since 1982 and currently teaches a sports business course in Duke’s Fuqua School of Business as part of Duke’s MBA program.

In August 2003, SI.com (the Sports Illustrated web site) listed White, then at Notre Dame, third in its rankings of the most powerful people in college football. In January 2004, The Sporting News listed him in its Power 100 as third among five names in the “front office” category (and the lone college athletics director among the 100).

White has served on numerous NCAA committees, including the NCAA Council, formerly the association's highest governing body. In 2012, White was among a select group of college and professional administrators asked to serve on the recently formed Expert Advisory Board for the Knight Commission. Moreover, he was the secretary of NCAA Football, a non-profit corporation acting as the “collective voice to promote college football,” and serves on the Black Coaches Association Board of Directors. For several years, he was a representative with the football Bowl Championship Series. In addition, he previously was a member of the Rose Bowl Management Committee while at Arizona State, was an ex-officio member of the Sugar Bowl Committee during his tenure at Tulane and also worked closely with the Fiesta Bowl during his stay in Tempe.

Given his background and success, it is not surprising that 23 current directors of athletics were mentored by White. That impressive list of current ADs includes:

Sandy BarbourTulane (former)California (former)Penn State

Josh BerloMinnesota Duluth

Bob BierieLoras (former)

Thomas BoehOhio University (former)Fresno State

Greg CapellLoras (former)

Vic CeglesLong Beach State

Sandy Hatfield ClubbDrake

Tom CollinsBall State (former)

Boo CorriganArmy

Bubba CunninghamBall State (former)Tulsa (former)North Carolina

Scott DevineSt. Mary's College (MD)

Herman FrazierAlabama-Birmingham (former)Hawaii (former)

Rudy KeelingEmerson (former)Commissioner, ECAC (former)

Ian McCawNortheastern (former)Massachusetts (former)Baylor

Bernard MuirGeorgetown (former)Delaware (former)Stanford

Jim PhillipsNorthern Illinois (former)Northwestern

Bill SchollBall State

Jim SterkWashington State (former)San Diego State

Norwood TeagueVCU (former)Minnesota

Tim Van AlstineWestern Illinois (former)Cardinal Stritch University

Bruce Van de VeldeUtah State (former)Iowa State (former)Louisiana Tech (former)

Stan WilcoxFlorida State

Mark WilsonTennessee Tech

Prior to joining Notre Dame in 2000, White served as athletic director at Arizona State University, Tulane University, the University of Maine and Loras College in Iowa, where he originated the National Catholic Basketball Tournament.

Before becoming an administrator, White served as head track and field coach at Southeast Missouri State (1981-82) and assistant cross country and track and field coach at Central Michigan (1976-80). He began his coaching career at Gulf High School in New Port Richey, Fla., coaching cross country and track and assisting in football and wrestling.

White earned his Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University in 1983 with an emphasis on higher education administration. In 1985, he completed postdoctoral work at Harvard University’s Institute for Educational Management. He earned his master’s degree in athletics administration from Central Michigan University in 1976 and his bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1972 from St. Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Ind., where he also competed as a sprinter. Additionally, White was recognized with honorary degrees from Loras College (2012), the United States Sports Academy (2007) and St. Joseph's College (2001).

White and his wife, Jane, a former college track and field coach, have five children and 10 grandchildren.